Yarn carrier for yarn selecting machines



March 21, 1961 F. C. R EHM- YARN CARRIER FOR YARN SELECTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 16, 1958 FIE-.1

INVENTOR. "Fa/Mum CL. "Ran-4M W ATTORNEY United States Patent Carpet Company, Bloomsburg, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Dec. 16, 19 s, Ser. No. 780,851 8 Claims. c1. 2s-ss.5

This invention relates to improvements in yarn carriers for yarn selecting machines of the type disclosed in Patent No. 2,126,634.

In machines of the type mentioned a series of yarn carriers are slidably mount-ed on horizontal tracks composed of spaced parallel rods extending through openings formed in opposite ends of the carriers, the carriers being moved along the tracks by reciprocating shafts extending through central openings in the carriers which are actuated to selectively release the carriers from the shafts as they move along the tracks.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a carrier which may be easily applied and removed from the tracks, which will not be retarded in its movement due to the accumulation of fly around the track rods and which will remain in the selected position on the track when released. a

A further object of the invention resides in providing a removable bearing plate surrounding the central opening of the carrier for engagement with the T head of the actuating shaft.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the group of carriers and operating mechanism for the same,

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the carrier,

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view on line 4--4 of Fig. 3.

In the drawing wherein for the purpose of illustration a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown, the numeral 5 denotes one of a series of yarn carriers, which as shown in Fig. l, are slidably mounted on a track composed of spaced parallel rods 6 and extending centrally and longitudinally of the track is a shaft 7 which extends through the center of the carriers. The shaft is mounted for reciprocating movement and at its free end is provided with a T head 8 to retain the carriers on the shaft when the shaft is reciprocated to slide the carriers along the track. A stop block 9 is slidably mounted on the track and shaft 7 to hold the series of carriers in abutting relation and is held in position by an adjustable collar 16 mounted on the shaft. The shaft 7 is rotated by a rack bar 11 in mesh with a gear 12 mounted on the shaft, and is selectively rotated to turn the T head 8 to release the carriers from the shaft in the desired positions on the track.

The carrier 5 consists of a narrow elongated block of metal having its upper edge 13 rounded and provided with a longitudinal bore 14 through which the yarn carried by the carrier passes. The outer or forward end of the bore is curved downwardly, as at 15, to allow the yarn to slide smoothly in a downward direction when drawn through the bore. Each end of the carrier below vide a bearing surface for engagement with the rods 6 of the track to slidably support the carrier on the track. A spring steel strip 18 extends along the lower edge of the block with its ends inclined upwardly from the shoulder 17 for resilient engagement with the underside to the track rods to hold the rods seated in the bearings of shoulders 16. Sleeves 19 of plastic material are fitted on the ends of the spring strip to grip the track rods and hold the carrier thereon. The strip 18 is mounted in a transverse slot 20 extending along one side of the block adjacent the lower edge, the lower wall of the slot being cut-away at the center, as at 21, to form lugs 22 which are bent upwardly into holding engagement with the strip. One side of the block is provided with a recess 23 in the center having an opening 24 through to the other side for receiving the shaft 7, and a bearing plate 25 having a corresponding opening 26 is secured in the recess by a rivet 27. The openings 24 and 26 are formed with opposed radial notches 28 which when in alinement with the T head of the shaft 7permit the carrier to be detached from the end of shaft 7.

The carrier is mounted on the track by positioning the carrier between the rods and swinging the carrier in a horizontal plane about the vertical axis of the carrier so that the ends of the carrier ride, over the top of the track rods to seat the rods in the bearings of the shoulders 16while the ends of spring strip 18 slide beneath the rods to resiliently grip the rods to hold the carrier in sliding engagement with the rods. After positioning the carriers on the track, the shaft 7 is rotated to bring the T head in alinement with openings 24, 26 and notches 28 and then the shaft is reciprocated to pass through the openings 24, 26 until all the carriers are mounted on the shaft. The shaft is then rotated a quarter of a turn so that the T head engages the bearing plate 25 of the first carrier of a series thus retaining the carriers on the shaft when the shaft is reciprocated to pull the carriers along the shaft. When his desired to release a carrier from shaft 7, the shaft is rotated to aline the T head of the shaft with the notches 28 whereupon the spring action of the ends of strip 18 against rods 6 hold the carrier stationary while the shaft is withdrawn from openings 24, 26. Thus, it is seen the carriers may be quickly and easily applied and removed from the track. While the carriers are free to slide along the track under pressure the spring strip exerts a constant pressure on the rods of the track which securely holds the carrier in its selected position on the track when released from the pulling means. Since the bearings supporting the carrier on the track only partially surround the track rods there is no danger of fly collecting in the bearings and preventing free sliding movement of the carriers.

It is to be understood the form of the invention herein shown and described is a preferred example of the same and changes in the shape, size and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A yarn carrier for yarn selecting machines having spaced parallel track rods for slidably supporting a series of yarn carriers comprising an elongated block extending transversely of the track rods having a passage therethrough to receive a yarn, the ends of said block being cut-away to form stepped shoulders with the upper shoulder arcuate shape to form a bearing to slidably support said block on the track rods, and a spring metal strip extending along the lower edge of said block with 7 its ends extending beyond the lower shoulder of said block and bent upwardly therefrom in confronting relation to said bearings for gripping engagement with the der-arcuate shape to form bearings to slidab ly support said block on the track rods, a spring strip extending alongthe lower edge of said block having its ends extending beyond the lower shouldersof said block and bent upwardly therefrom into confronting relation to said bearings for gripping engagement with the track rods to releasably hold'said block on said track rods, a recess formed in the center of said block having an opening extending through the block, and a bearing plate mounted in said recess.

3. A yarncarrier for yarn selecting machines having spaced parallel track rods for slidably supporting a series of yarn carriers comprising an elongated block having a longitudinal bore adjacent its upper edge for the passage of a yarn, said block extending transversely of the track rods and having bearings extending transversely of its ends to receive the track rods, said bearings being open at one side to permit disengagement of said block frorrrthe track rods upon swinging movement of said block on its vertical axis, and spring means carried by said block in opposed relation to the open side of said bearings for yieldable engagement with the track rods when the track rods are disposed in said bearings.

4. A yarn carrier of the character described in claim 3 wherein said spring-means'isa spring strip extending including means between the track rods releasably engaged with said block for moving the block along the track rods. 7'

6. A yarn carrier of the character described in claim 3 wherein said block is provided with a recess intermediate its ends having an opening through the block and a reciprocating shaft extending through the opening in the recess having means at its end for releasable engagement with said block.

7. A yarn carrier for yarn selecting machines having spaced parallel track'rods for slidably supporting a series of yarn carriers comprising an elongated block extending transversely of the track rods with a longitudinal bore adjacent its upper edge for the passage of a yarn, the ends of said block being provided with transverse bearings to receive the track rods, said bearings openings through the ends of said block to permit said block to be disengaged from the track rods upon rotation of the block on its vertical axis, and a spring strip secured to the lower edge of said block, intermediate its length, with its free ends disposed for yieldable engagement with track rods to releasably hold said block-in sliding engagement with the track rods.

8. A yarn carrier for yarn selecting machines having spaced parallel track rods for sli'da'bly supporting a series of yarn carriers comprising an elongated block extending transversely of the track rods with a longitudinal bore therethrough to receive a yarn, the ends of said block being notched in their lower edges to provide openfaced bearings to receive the track rods, and means carried by said block for yieldable engagement wtih the track rods to releasably hold said block with the bearings engaged with the track rods.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,126,634 Homan Aug. 9, 1938 

